Nemex Resources receives XRF results
THE DRILL SERGEANT: Iron ore-focused explorer Nemex Resources has received the first five x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) results from surface outcrops of an ironstone formation collected from its Télimélé license in western Guinea.
Nemex’s Télimélé license is one of three exploration licenses that comprise the Coastal Project in western Guinea.
The five samples were collected from two areas, two kilometres apart, and are considered by the company to be representative of this particular ironstone unit.
Nemex said the results display consistently high iron grades of greater than 60 per cent iron in the five samples, with acceptable levels of aluminium oxide, silica, titanium oxide, phosphorous and sulphur.
It added that the preliminary results of the mineralogical study that is currently in progress shows all samples collected were uniform in nature, and composed almost entirely of iron bearing minerals (hematite and with lesser quantities of magnetite and goethite).
No quartz or silica-bearing mineral species – normal as a typical contaminant in most iron ore – was detected.
“The company has received the initial results it was looking for to proceed to the next level with the Coastal project’s – drilling and resource development,” Nemex Resources managing director Peter Turner said in an announcement.
“We have not only seen the vast exposures of ironstone on this project, but now have confirmation that the initial testwork is showing us that this ironstone is an in-situ DSO product of high-value.”
Turner has recently returned from a site visit to the Coastal project, where he was accompanied by company exploration manager Grahame Kennedy and geologists, which the company said had provided indications the real extent of the ironstone extends outside of the Coastal project.
This led Nemex to secure an additional 1,946 square kilometres licenses, bringing its total tenure in the area to 2,911sqkm.
The additional licenses have been granted to Nemex’s partner in Guinea and form part of the existing agreement whereby Nemex is earning a 85% interest in the project, prior to Government interest.
The company is continuing to carry our metallurgical test work on the ironstone and a further 35 samples have now been collected from the 244sqkm Télimélé license.
According to the company these samples are of the same ironstone and have the same characteristics as those already analysed.
Nemex has purchased a drill rig capable of reverse circulation (RC) and rotary air blast (RAB) drilling, as well as a Niton XRF unit to expedite sample analysis.
The drill rig will be sent to Guinea and will begin resource drilling over the Coastal licenses in October.
Prior to the arrival of the rig, Nemex is looking at sourcing an in-country drill rig.
A program of metallurgical test work is currently being designed that will be incorporated into the first drill and sampling programs.